In the implementation phase there are eight projects for environmental protection valuable 296.4 million euros, while 16 in preparation are valued 325.2 million euro.
Public enterprise “Elektroprivreda Srbije” invested in the projects of environmental protection more than 320 million euros and up to 2025, the investments in that direction will reach 860 million euros for Serbia to meet its obligations to The European Union and the energy community. EPS follows Serbia’s strategic direction defined in national documents and plans to implement projects which will reduce the emission of harmful gases from power plants by as much as nine times, it said is on the presentation of the draft action plan for the protection of the environment by 2025.
Investing in ecology in the energy sector is part of the inevitable reduction process consumption of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions. This job, according to the words conference participants, will last long, will be very difficult, will require the participation of all actors in society, a lot of dialogue and political will.
– We support and cooperate with EPS on the development and implementation of an action plan that is very important in Serbia’s negotiations with the EU. Thanks to EPS on the big understanding, because it is much easier to build a new one than to adapt old plants. It is important that we find an understanding of the EU in this direction, because in Serbia, the production of coal and electricity is a completely domestic product and something that ensures the energy stability of the country. We need to reduce the share of lignite in total production by capacity modernization – emphasized Mirjana Filipović, state secretary in the Ministry of Mining and Energy in the Government of Serbia.
Filipović recalled that the state managed to gain more time in the negotiations with the Energy Community for the implementation of some regulations, such as the Great Furniture Directive. In the area of environmental protection, almost 50 projects have been identified, which must be implemented by 2025, so that the EPS plant complies with the regulations established by domestic legislation, in accordance with EU regulations. At the implementation stage, eight environmental projects amount to EUR 296.4 million, while 16 are worth EUR 325.2 million in preparation. Additional projects are foreseen for realization worth 242.6 million euros.
– EPS is committed not only to protect the environment, which we confirm because we have invested the most in this segment in Serbia in the last 15 years, but overall in the sustainable development. It is a concept that is expanding considerably and encompasses projects related to increasing the share of renewable energy sources in our production, then increasing energy efficiency, more efficient use of coal managing quality and reducing online losses. In these areas we will invest 2.3 billion euros by 2025, which sufficiently tells how EPS is aware of its obligations and responsibilities – said Aleksandar Jakovljević, Head of Strategy Department in JP EPS.
Only in environmental protection projects, EPS will invest more than 600 million euros by 2025.
– These investments will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 90 percent, nitrogen oxides by 45 percent and powdered materials by 20 percent by the year 2025 compared to the period from 2008 to 2012, Jakovljević added.
The Action Plan is supported by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, from which they point out that Serbia has limited resources of renewable energy sources.
– This action plan is based on several strategies that Serbia has. It is important to emphasize that renewable energy sources cannot provide energy security and stability to any country, because they cannot meet all energy needs – said Aleksandar Vesić, Assistant Minister for Environmental Protection.
And the EBRD welcomes the action plan and especially praises the openness of EPS in communicating with the various public.
– We work closely with EPS for a long time and we will do everything to make it a better and respectable company in every aspect, especially in the field of environmental protection – said Danijel Berg, president of the EBRD for Serbia.
Anthony Ils, a consultant and member of the British Institute of Natural Sciences, presented the experiences of the UK, who commented that the transition in energy, which implies a change in the whole society, is a huge job, which requires the coordination of a wide range of institutions, from companies, to universities.
– EPS cannot do this alone, and coordination and assistance is needed not only in financing, but also in knowledge and technologies, and above all the appropriate regulatory framework – Ils said.
